Generally speaking, an optical system for broadcasting P programs to N subscribers requires N optical fibers for transmitting each of the programs to the N subscribers. The resulting P times N fibers are regrouped into N groups of P fibers each, ie. one group per subscriber, and the desired one of the P fibers in each of the N groups is coupled to the corresponding subscriber's optical fiber to enable the subscriber to receive the desired one one of the P programs made available.
An article entitled "A high speed optoelectronic matrix switch using heterojunction switching diodes" by E. H. Hara et al. published in the IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, vol. QE 17, No. 8, August 1981, describes the principle of such an optoelectronic switch device structure.
According to that article, signals are distributed from the second elements by means of optical fibers, while the signals applied individually to the first elements are selected by means of discrete photodiodes.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide an optoelectronic switch device which is in modular form and in which the photodiodes used are in the form of integrated strips which are simple to associate with and assemble to the other modular elements.